Paul Caffrey: Prepare for worst summer ever in history of our games

Conor McKeon
– 03 April 2015 03:00 AM

Paul Caffrey

PAUL Caffrey has warned that this summer may see "the most negative Championship in the history of our games."

The former Dublin boss said: "I think we will have 10 or 12 matches this year that are going to be appalling to watch, very low scoring, with total emphasis on not losing, as opposed to win the game," he predicted.

Caffrey (left) also rejected Derry manager Brian McIver's claims that Jim Gavin's team had set up identically to his own in last Saturday's 0-8 to 0-4 Division 1 League match as "nonsense," and rejected Mickey Harte's assertion that inter-county managers are not obliged to entertain.

He also insisted that Dublin missed an opportunity to "put the blanket defence to bed," last year when they squandered a five-point lead over Donegal in the All-Ireland semi-final.

That match and result, he feels, contributed heavily towards the volume of teams employing loosely similar methods this season so far.

"I think had Dublin won that match by eight or ten points - which they looked like doing - you would have seen a totally different reaction in football this year," he added.